23/11/2007

STI's Still Rising

There has been no improvement in the sexual hedalth of the nation - and little evidence that public health information programmes are actually hitting the target.

In fact, the sexual health of young UK adults worsened in 2006 despite a concerted public health effort to turn it around, figures show.

In 2006, 376,508 new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were diagnosed - up from 368,341 in 2005, the Health Protection Agency found.

The HPA also warned of a continuing HIV and STI epidemic in gay men.

Sexual infection diagnoses have been almost continually rising since the 1990s.

Experts called for more action and funding to tackle the issue.

Nick Partridge, chief executive of HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust said: "Despite our best efforts and those of hard-pressed clinics, the HIV epidemic in the UK is getting worse. It's clear that we can't tackle it on our own.

"We need more investment in HIV prevention, more HIV testing in local communities and stronger national leadership. This is a real test for national government and local health services - and one we can't afford to fail."

(BMcC)


Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

17 September 2009
Booze Blamed For Unsafe Sex
Alcohol can and does influence sexual decision making, according to new research published today by sexual health charity the Family Planning Association (fpa).
08 December 2003
Stark BMA report paints gloomy picture of teen health
A report from the British Medical Association (BMA) has presented a gloomy assessment of the health of the nation's teenagers.
26 January 2006
Diagnoses of new HIV infections remain high
The number of new cases of HIV recorded in the UK continued to grow at a high rate in 2005. Health Protection Agency (HPA) figures revealed that there were 5,560 new HIV diagnoses reported for 2005, but the figure is expected to exceed 7,750 when all the reports for the year are known.
24 November 2003
Agency issues warning over UK's rising HIV population
The number of people who acquire their HIV infection in the UK is increasing, according to a report published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to mark World AIDS Day. In addition there has been almost a 20% increase in the number of people living with HIV in the UK, up from 41,700 in 2001 to 49,500 in 2002.
15 May 2014
HIV Tests To Be Offered In Slough Supermarket
HIV tests are to be offered to shoppers at a Tesco Extra supermarket in Slough. The tests are to be offered by sexual health charity Thames Valley Positive Support (TVPS) in an effort to "normalise" testing. The charity will launch its Time to Test scheme on Monday, with the project running on a weekly basis for six weeks.